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Last weekend, it felt like most of my neighbors were out for the Capitol Hill Classic! After being forced out of running last year for the first time in a decade or so with a knee injury, I was able to get back into the swing of things and competed in the 10K. My kids ran the 3K and Fun Run. But the race – which helps raise money for the Cluster schools in Ward 6 – saw record-setting attendance and absolutely beautiful weather. Congrats to everyone who participated!

Back in the Wilson Building, I've shared frustrated updates for six weeks that we didn't have a proposed city budget to work on. That all changes Tuesday when the Council will officially receive the budget from the Mayor and kick off an intense and shortened process to hold public hearings, analyze, debate, and make changes before casting our final votes in the summer. With the shrinking economy caused by job losses from Trump's actions, higher costs from Trump's unpredictable tariffs and inflation, and cruel decisions to freeze federal tax dollars meant to support people and communities in need, this will be one of the most difficult budgets to manage and balance in some time. I'm confident we can meet the moment.

In anticipation of the budget, I've been joining the monthly meeting for all Ward 6 ANCs recently to provide an update from the Council, answer questions, and get a sense of priorities as we waited for the budget. I was at ANC 6/8F this past week and will wrap up next week with ANC 6E. I'll also be hosting my annual Ward 6 Budget Town Hall on June 17 to hear more from you!

There's a lot to get into, and it's a holiday weekend. I hope you're celebrating Memorial Day with friends and family, and also setting aside a moment to remember and appreciate those who have served and died on behalf of our country. So, let's jump in.

QUICK LINKS: Budget Town Hall | Public Safety | Common Area Fees Hearing | 6th and D NE | RFK Reading | WMATA Funding | WMATA Safety | Rumsey Letter | Lead Pipes (Yikes) | Alley Speed Bumps | Garfield Park | Calling Student Artists | Pools & Spray Parks | Events 

Miss the last newsletter? Read it here.

The Ward 6 Budget Town Hall Will Be June 17 at the Hill Center

With the budget finally arriving at the Council (and to the public) on Tuesday, we can get our Ward 6 Budget Town Hall rescheduled. Thanks for your patience, and please save the date for Tuesday, June 17, at 6 p.m. at the Hill Center.

You can RSVP here to get reminders as we get closer to the event. 

This is an event I've been doing since I first took office. It's a helpful way for me and my team to explain what's in the budget, what the constraints are, what I agree with, and what I don't. Then I turn it over to you in an open-mic style town hall and ask for your questions, comments, and priorities. I hope you can attend! This is always invaluable to me and my staff as we work on making changes to the budget to meet your needs and expectations.

Public Safety Updates

It's been a challenging week with a number of tragic incidents involving gun violence. Most of these incidents did not happen in Ward 6, but certainly affected Ward 6 neighbors, let alone the trauma and pain inflicted on the victims and their families. Horribly, a 14-year-old living on Benning Road was accidentally killed when a gun she was holding for a social media video fired. A 16-year-old was killed when a conflict escalated in north Navy Yard – I was speaking before ANC 6/8F just a few blocks away when it happened. We were talking about public safety solutions among many topics, with a focus on the recent incidents with large groups of juveniles showing up all at once in Navy Yard.

This isn't a full list, but we had shots fired on 15th Street SE hours before I was there with MPD for a scheduled walk in the alley and to talk with neighbors. We had shots fired on 15th Street NE with no reported victims, thankfully. There was a homicide in the afternoon on Wednesday by Education Hill near Langston Golf Course, where JO Wilson is currently one of two schools in swing space. I'll be working with school leaders to ensure a safe end to the school year. Last weekend, two people were injured in a shooting in Southwest that resulted from a conflict. And earlier this week, someone was injured in a robbery attempt by individuals who had absconded from a DYRS facility in Pennsylvania and came to the District to commit crimes – more details on that below. And, late Wednesday night, two people were killed in a targeted shooting, leaving an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in what MPD and the FBI are investigating as a hate crime. An arrest was made that night and initial charges include First Degree Murder, while the investigation to consider evidence of a hate crime and terrorism continues.

All of this is unacceptable, and we should never allow it to become normalized. It can be overwhelming when so many awful incidents happen back-to-back. The common denominator is easy access to firearms, but while federal leadership is lacking to get more guns off our streets (the House just this week approved a measure to remove gun silencers from needing to be registered parts of firearms), we continue to push forward. I've written in this section of the newsletter many times recently about a decline in violent crime that we want to sustain and continue to drive down even further. The way we do that is by continuing to get out and work together. In the past two weeks, I've brought together neighbors, MPD, DPW, DDOT, and other agencies to address specific safety concerns, met with neighbors, MPD, and the Capitol Riverfront BID to share information and strategies dealing with the disconcerting chaos from large groups of youth showing up all at once, and met with seniors in Mount Vernon Triangle to push for improvements for security in their building. All of these conversations help focus government and community attention on bite-sized, step-by-step solutions that make a difference.

Look for updates on what is proposed in the budget for public safety in upcoming newsletters – the Council (and the public) should finally have a budget proposal on Tuesday.

Ward 6 Public Safety Updates: 

• MPD Arrests Suspect in 2024 Pattern Robbery Offenses – MPD arrested a 17-year-old and connected him to seven different robberies in near Northeast last December. Details here.
  
  
• MPD Makes Arrest in NE Shooting After Three Abscond from Pennsylvania Facility –  Two weeks ago, MPD pursued a vehicle stolen by three juveniles who absconded from a Pennsylvania facility contracted with the District and returned to DC before committing an armed robbery and shooting in Ward 6. MPD pursued them and eventually made three arrests. More details here. Good work by MPD, but I'll work with my colleague Councilmember Zachary Parker, who chairs the committee with oversight of the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services, to find out how these three got loose in the first place. 
  
  
• DC Attorney General Warns About Fake Toll Scams – You've probably seen the same texts I have warning about unpaid tolls and an urgent push to click a link to collect. Well, as you hopefully figured, these are scam texts. DC Attorney General Brian Schwalb has issued an official warning for residents who want to learn more or would like to share this with residents who might be as savvy about scams.

Wednesday: Public Hearing on My Bill to Ban Common Area Fees

Wednesday, May 28, my colleague Councilmember Robert White is holding a hearing on a number of housing bills, including my Fair Housing Practices Act, which bans predatory and unpredictable common area fees being charged in large apartment buildings. When people sign a lease, they assume the rent covers the costs of keeping the lights on in the hallway and the HVAC running in the lobby. We've heard from neighbors where these fees swing wildly from month to month and have gone as high as hundreds of dollars in add-on fees per monthly rent. Renters need all fees to be affordable and predictable. Or, in other words, let the rent be the rent.

This is the next step in the process and an opportunity for residents to have their voices heard on why this bill matters. If you've had experience with a landlord who's adding charges on top of your rent for things like electricity, WiFi, or water for areas outside your unit, you especially can speak to this. I encourage you to sign up to testify today – you can participate live or submit written testimony – and I value your time in shaping laws for DC.

Intersection Improvements Finally Come to 6th & D NE

Last fall, 12-year-old Paisley was struck by a driver while crossing at 6th and D NE with the walk sign – she's recovered now, but suffered broken bones, and her leg had tire marks on it after the incident. The driver only received a ticket, which was outrageous, considering it could have ended much worse. 

In DC, we need to both hold drivers accountable and improve infrastructure for safety. I escalated the incident to MPD, which led to charging the driver with reckless driving, and the DC Attorney General filed a civil suit due to multiple speeding violations under the STEER Act I authored.

Last week, I shared a video with details of DDOT's improvements at the intersection, including new crosswalks, preventing drivers from doing what happened to Paisley, and clearer bike route designations. I’m pleased with the increased responsiveness, but we must continue to push for safety upgrades throughout the District. Everyone deserves to feel safe while walking in DC.

Some Good Reading on the RFK Deal

I've made my position clear on the proposed deal to bring the Commanders back to DC – what's in front of us isn't a good deal for DC residents and taxpayers. The deal's more than $1.1 billion public subsidy gives too much away, and it lacks a vision for what the RFK site needs to be for our city's future. It overbuilds parking lots rather than investing in Metro, it fails to protect a return on the city's investment, and it's cashing out the energy and environmental goals for what our city needs. I've been stopped even by die-hard Commanders fans on the sidewalk and in the grocery store, telling me that DC deserves better. My view has always been that a large NFL stadium is the wrong use of that space, and NFL stadiums are uniquely poor investments for economic growth (recall, last year Prince George's County only saw $9 million in tax revenue from Northwest Stadium for all of 2024). But there's been a notable round of analysis, including from the sports world, joining me in asking questions about the deal: 

Washington Post Editorial Board: "Questions on the Commanders Stadium Deal"
"The plan raises two key questions. First, what is the alternative? What other ways might the city use this land, which Congress decided to hand over to D.C. for free last December? Answering this would help District residents and council members understand what they would be giving up by investing in a stadium project. Unfortunately, the city has done no formal economic analysis of other development opportunities, such as for housing alone. Having an alternative plan for the site might also have strengthened the city’s negotiating position with the Commanders; perhaps then the team would have been more willing to take on a greater share of the cost."

Post Columnist Barry Svrluga: "After That Commanders Pep Rally, It's Time for DC to Get a Better Deal"
"It’s easy for J.P. from Maryland and Grant from Virginia — or any Commanders fan who doesn’t live in the city — to laud the mayor and get excited about a 65,000-seat stadium they might visit eight or 10 times a year. But fans in Maryland and Virginia aren’t paying for this package.

Greater Greater Washington: "Commanders Stadium Will Actually Cost Taxpayers $6 Billion"
The ever-diligent writers over at GGW put pencil to paper to take a crack at the true cost of the stadium when you factor in other subsidies, including the team getting a massive break on the value of the public land, no property taxes or rent paid, and more. 

Washington Post Columnist Colby King: "The DC Council has Work to do on the Commanders Stadium Deal"
"As part of their due diligence, city lawmakers owe it to taxpayers to soberly explore whether a football stadium is needed as an anchor development or whether it is even the best use of land along the Anacostia. Set vanity aside. An NFL team won’t put D.C. on the map as a world-class destination.

Over the coming months, the Council will examine the deal put before us. And if there are enough members that find their way to a "yes" vote, I strongly believe it's got to be significantly different – and significantly better – to protect DC.

DMVMoves Reaches Regional Consensus on What to Fund for WMATA. Next Comes the How.

It's been one year since the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments launched DMVMoves, a regional initiative I co-chair that includes elected representatives from DC, Maryland, and Virginia. The goal is to reach consensus on the future of local transit – how do we fund WMATA, and how does WMATA work with the dozen other public transit systems working in the same region?

In that time, we've worked with elected leaders, business leaders, and transit officials from across the entire region to look at what the system needs and how we move Metro into the future. A core question has been how our investments can lead to better service across the region and more reliable funding so that WMATA isn't lurching from one financial crisis to another. Now, we're headed toward a plan to set WMATA and our region’s public transit on a firm footing for years to come. The Washington Post has a good recap of where things stand. The work will continue, but this was the first big deliverable for the group that has been meeting regularly for the past year. Up next: the debate on how we fund it (that's the easy part, right?!).

Breakthrough Between WMATA and Safety Commission

Speaking of Metro, and this might be a bit in the weeds for some folks, there has been a growing need to improve relations between WMATA and the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission. In recent years, the relationship has become antagonistic to the point that it is counterproductive and out of line with the safety standards other major US systems are held to. I felt we'd reached a tipping point and authored a letter to the Washington Metrorail Safety Commission (co-signed by Council Chair Phil Mendelson and echoed in a coordinated but separate letter by City Administrator Kevin Donahue) pushing back on some of their recent proposals that would only further deepen the antagonistic relationship while not improving safety and operations. Many of my colleagues in the region jumped in and agreed, and happily, we had a breakthrough when the Commission approved this week a return to automatic train operations. The Post has a good write-up if you want to dive into the issue.

Letter Cosigned by 500+ Residents Calls for Second Floor in Rumsey Pool Modernization

Last week, I delivered a letter to the directors of both the Department of Parks and Recreation and the Department of General Services, cosigned by more than 500 residents, calling for design concepts that include a second floor for the $35 million modernization of Rumsey Aquatic Center. We're in a once-in-a-generation moment of redesigning this community hub, and to make it the best it can be, I made sure to include $15 million in last year's budget to have a second story – which was the figure DGS and DPR requested to make it a reality and allow the modernization to deliver on the number-one priority for the community: more water and more pool space.

But we didn't see that second story when DPR and DGS presented designs, so I called for support.

Does Your Home Have a Lead Service Pipe? Take that Risk Seriously and Get it Replaced.

There are a lot of homes with lead pipes on their private property that should be replaced as a public health concern. DC Water is still making its way toward removing lead pipes in DC, but we need more people to volunteer. You can likely get the entire cost paid for by DC Water and DC government. Find out your options now on DC Water's website.

So, if you aren't sure, take five minutes now to check on DC Water's website. If it's unknown, you can even request a test kit you can do yourself: Just email [email protected].

Of course, as DC Water digs through dirt to reach pipes, it can be disruptive: Our front lawns feel all our own, but the truth is, they're also public property the city can access. I've been told DC Water has continued to try to work more closely with residents on this, and while it does this every day, replanting shrubs and the like, we still hear of bad experiences with less-than-expected aesthetic results. If this is the case for you, please file a claim. 

Slowing Down Drivers, Even in the Alleyways

Anyone who lives near an alley knows: Drivers love to try and find a shortcut, and they're usually driving too fast while they do it. Last month, I met with residents who live along the alleyway between 11th, 12th, H, and I Streets SE, speaking about a few issues, including speeding cars. I then sent a letter to DDOT asking for speed bumps and other safety interventions, and a month later, we have rubber speed bumps to slow down cars in this area, which is close to two schools. Improvements like these may feel small, but they go a long way in effectively making drivers operate more safely.

It's True: Garfield Park Is Looking Open!

After months of closed areas and neighbors eagerly awaiting their neighborhood green and gathering space to be open, DPR has wrapped up improvements! We're glad to see fresh courts, a spruced-up playground (that was quickly active!), and cleaned-up bocce courts. There's still work to do – during our last visit, we saw that netting was needed to play tennis. I've asked DPR if there might be a formal reopening event. If there is one, I'll do my best to ensure you know about it! Until then, enjoy the sunshine at this community gem.

Know a Young Artist?

All DC students in grades K-12, including adult learners currently enrolled in a DC public school, public charter, or private school, are welcome to submit work for the Spring Art Contest 2025, hosted by the Mayor and the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Education. The theme is "Heritage & Education: Painting a Brighter Future," blending culture, learning, and artistic expression. Learn all the details here; artists can submit their drawings and paintings by Thursday, June 12.

Outdoor Pools and Spray Parks Open on Weekends, Starting Today!

Outdoor pools and spray parks will be open on weekends until Monday, June 23, when they will open daily besides one scheduled day per week when each pool will be closed. Full details here. You can find hours and locations for spray parks here.

Upcoming Events

• Night Concerts at the Wharf – Wednesdays, 7 p.m. on Transit Pier (970 Wharf St SW)
  The Wharf has free concerts on Wednesday nights, with R&B, rock, Go-Go, country, and pop covers. The first concert is Wednesday, May 28, with Motown group Jimi Smooth & HitTime.
  
  
• Lions Dance Show – Friday, May 30, 5 to 6:30 p.m. at Eastern Market Metro Plaza Park (701 Pennsylvania Ave. SE)
  If you've passed this park on Friday evenings, you already know it's active with performances. Barracks Row Main Street has been hosting different events, including ones centered on Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. Next week, catch the Lion Dance Show.
  
  

Ready to Cheer on the Spirit?

Thanks for reading! If you want to see our Washington Spirit take on the North Carolina Courage on Sunday, June 8, just reply to this email for a chance to snag tickets.

See you around the neighborhood,

Charles Allen